Microstable, preservative-free beverages and process of making

Abstract

The invention is directed to microstable soft drink beverages containing at least two edible acids chosen from phosphoric, citric and malic acids as a microstabilizer, in combination with water, a flavor system of one or more flavor extracts and distillates, and a sweetener, such as HFCS. The beverages have a pH of from 2.2 to 2.7 and a TA of from 15 to 33. The beverages may advantageously contain additional ingredients, such as potassium chloride and another microstabilizing ingredient such as sodium polyphosphate, d-limonene or ascorbic acid. Such beverages have a desirable balance of organoleptic properties and are rendered highly microstable without the use of conventional chemical preservatives or thermal processing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A microstable, soft drink beverage free of any preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid and alkali metal salts thereof, said beverage comprising: water;   a microstabilizer consisting essentially of an acid combination consisting of at least two edible acids selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid;   a flavoring system consisting essentially of one or more flavoring agents selected from the group consisting of flavor extracts and distillates;   a sweetener; and   from 1.0 to 3.3 volumes of CO 2  ; wherein the beverage has a pH of from 2.2 to 2.7 and a TA of from 15 to 33.   
     
     
       2. A microstable soft drink beverage as recited in claim 1, wherein said acid combination consists of phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid. 
     
     
       3. A microstable soft drink beverage as recited in claim 1, wherein the pH is from 2.2 to 2.5 and the TA is from 17 to 33. 
     
     
       4. A microstable soft drink beverage as recited in claim 1, wherein the sweetener is high-fructose corn syrup and the true Brix range in the beverage is from 6 to 14. 
     
     
       5. A microstable soft drink beverage as recited in claim 1, wherein the acid combination consists of phosphoric acid and citric acid, and the pH is 2.3 and the TA is from 28 to 33. 
     
     
       6. A microstable soft drink beverage as recited in claim 1, wherein said one or more flavoring agents includes a citrus-type flavoring agent. 
     
     
       7. A microstable soft drink beverage as recited in claim 1, further comprising potassium chloride. 
     
     
       8. A microstable soft drink beverage free of any preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid and alkali metal salts thereof, said beverage comprising: water;   a microstabilizer consisting essentially of an acid combination consisting of at least two edible acids selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid;   a flavoring system consisting essentially of one or more flavoring agents selected from the group consisting of flavor extracts and distillates;   a sweetener; and   from 0.0 to 3.3 volumes of CO 2  ; wherein the beverage has a pH of from 2.2 to 2.5 and a TA of from 15 to 33.   
     
     
       9. A method of making a microstable soft drink product, comprising the steps of: formulating a beverage free of any preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid and alkali metal salts thereof, said beverage containing water, a flavor system consisting essentially of one or more flavoring agents selected from the group consisting of flavor extracts and distillates, a sweetener, and a microstabilizer consisting essentially of an acid combination consisting of at least two edible acids selected from phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid, whereby the beverage has a pH of from 2.2 to 2.5 and a TA of from 15 to 33; and   cold-filling the beverage in a container without any heat treatment or thermal processing.   
     
     
       10. A method of making a microstable soft drink product as recited in claim 13, further comprising carbonating the beverage with from 1.0 to 3.3 volumes of CO 2 . 
     
     
       11. A method of making a microstable soft drink product as recited in claim 9, wherein said acid combination consists of phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid. 
     
     
       12. A method of making a microstable soft drink product as recited in claim 9, wherein the acid combination consists of phosphoric acid and citric acid, and the TA is from 17 to 33. 
     
     
       13. A method of making a microstable soft drink product as recited in claim 9, further comprising at least one of the following steps: carbonating the beverage with from 1.0 to 3.3 volumes of CO 2  ; filling a package with the beverage; and injecting nitrogen to remove oxygen from the package head space. 
     
     
       14. A microstable soft drink beverage free of any preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid and alkali metal salts thereof, said beverage comprising: water;   a microstabilizer consisting essentially of an acid combination consisting of at least two edible acids selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid, and at least one of a polyphosphate and d-limonene;   a flavoring system consisting essentially of one or more flavoring agents selected from the group consisting of flavor extracts and distillates;   a sweetener; and   from 1.0 to 3.3 volumes of CO 2  ; wherein the beverage has a pH of from 2.2 to 2.7 and a TA of from 15 to 33.   
     
     
       15. A microstable soft drink beverage free of any preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid and alkali metal salts thereof, said beverage comprising: water;   a microstabilizer consisting essentially of an acid combination consisting of at least two edible acids selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid, and a polyphosphate;   a flavoring system consisting essentially of one or more flavoring agents selected from the group consisting of flavor extracts and distillates;   a sweetener;   one or more nutritional supplements selected from the group consisting of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin and folic acid; and   from 1.0 to 3.3 volumes of CO 2  ; wherein the beverage has a pH of from 2.2 to 2.7 and a TA of from 15 to 33.   
     
     
       16. A microstable soft drink beverage free of any preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid and alkali metal salts thereof, said beverage comprising: water;   a microstabilizer consisting essentially of ascorbic acid and an acid combination consisting of at least two edible acids selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid;   a flavoring system consisting essentially of one or more flavoring agents selected from the group consisting of flavor extracts and distillates;   a sweetener; and   from 1.0 to 3.3 volumes of CO 2  ; wherein the beverage has a pH of from 2.2 to 2.7 and a TA of from 15 to 33.   
     
     
       17. A microstable soft drink beverage free of any preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid and alkali metal salts thereof, said beverage comprising: water;   a microstabilizer consisting essentially of an acid combination consisting of at least two edible acids selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid, and at least one of a polyphosphate, d-limonene and ascorbic acid;   a flavoring system consisting essentially of one or more flavoring agents selected from the group consisting of flavor extracts and distillates;   a sweetener; and   from 0.0 to 3.3 volumes of CO 2  ; wherein the beverage has a pH of from 2.2 to 2.5 and a TA of from 15 to 33.   
     
     
       18. A method of making a microstable soft drink product, comprising the steps of: formulating a beverage free of any preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid and alkali metal salts thereof, said beverage containing water; a flavor system consisting essentially of one or more flavoring agents selected from the group consisting of flavor extracts and distillates; a sweetener; and a microstabilizer consisting essentially of ascorbic acid and an acid combination consisting of at least two edible acids selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid; whereby the beverage has a pH of from 2.2 to 2.5 and a TA of from 15 to 33; and   cold-filling the beverage in a container without any heat treatment or thermal processing.   
     
     
       19. A method of making a microstable soft drink product, comprising the steps of: formulating a beverage free of any preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid and alkali metal salts thereof, said beverage containing water; a flavor system consisting essentially of one or more flavoring agents selected from the group consisting of flavor extracts and distillates; a sweetener; and a microstabilizer consisting essentially of an acid combination consisting of at least two edible acids selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid, and at least one of a polyphosphate and d-limonene; whereby the beverage has a pH of from 2.2 to 2.5 and a TA of from 15 to 33; and   cold-filling the beverage in a container without any heat treatment or thermal processing.   
     
     
       20. A method of making a microstable soft drink product, comprising the steps of: formulating a beverage free of any preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid and alkali metal salts thereof, said beverage containing water; a flavor system consisting essentially of one or more flavoring agents selected from the group consisting of flavor extracts and distillates; a sweetener; one or more nutritional supplements selected from the group consisting of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin and folic acid; and a microstabilizer consisting essentially of an acid combination consisting of at least two edible acids selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, citric acid and malic acid, and a glassy sodium polyphosphate; whereby the beverage has a pH of from 2.2 to 2.5 and a TA of from 15 to 33; and   cold-filling the beverage in a container without any heat treatment or thermal processing.